Not a very deep rpg but still very good
User Rating: 9 | Mass Effect 2 X360
I think with EA's backing bioware took Mass Effect to the big stage with some sacrifices. The game is streamlined and very easy to pick up and get into. What is here is amazing and the production values are through the roof. Story, cinematics, atmosphere, gameplay are all top of the heap. The action has been just that and the effort paid to making the gameplay more intuitive and fun shows. It's not the deepest shooter/rpg you will ever see, but what's here works very well and is very fun. It does take on some aspects of gears of war as far as fighting through a scenario with a cover system and a party and triggering a cinematic with more control and depth. The AI is improved, the action is faster, controls are more responsive. It just feels right. The mako has been replaced by a probe system. Instead of expanding on the exploration aspect and giving more variety to each planet they replaced it all together. You still can explore certain planets and each one is different and presents a different scenario but it's all kind of streamlined and tacked on. Probing is very repetitive and time consuming although I do get to hear the cool music at least. It takes something from star control 2 which I enjoyed. The characters are very well played out. I did find the story a bit cliche at times and kind of just attention grabbing, but the characters do play out their stories in more detail and are done well. The inventory system and upgrade system has been more streamlined ala GTAIV fasion. What was done here is done well. It might not be a true rpg, or meet everyones expectations or go the direction you may have wanted. Alot of these games these days are becoming all the same with companies trying to appeal to as many people as they can. Assassins Creed 2, Batman, GTAIV etc all have similar elements to them and are productions on a large scale. Bioware has taken that approach to the rpg genre and melded the rpg and action adventure genre seamlessly and done an excellent job. Not really too much to complain about here although its not really a gift to the core rpger. Dragon Age is closer to that then this. I look at this game like Avatar or Titanic. It's the biggest production but that doesn't mean it's the best game. It also doesn't mean it isn't an amazing game. It is. Buy it and make up your own mind and take it for what it is. An amazing adventure through space, that melds action, adventure, a very good 3rd person shooter and rpg elements. It takes a lot of elements from a lot of different genres and melds them together with rpg. It might not be the most original game you will ever play but it does break new ground and that is original and groundbreaking in itself. 
